Page 83 of The Black Lotus
I place the sunglasses over my head and walk to their table as every eye locks on my movements. I’m used to people staring at me wherever I go, but this is ridiculous. Still, I like the attention, so I keep my head high as I stride to the table.Have they never seen a hot blonde before?
Serena squeezes me tightly, and I inhale her scent, returning her hug.Lavender and chamomile.The muscles in my shoulders start to relax.A scent I can get used to.
“Didn’t know you were a hugger,” I laugh, turning to Aster. “Brother.” He surprises me with a hug as well and I lean into it.Sandalwood and mint.Another smell I can get used to. I take a seat across from them and pick up a menu, feeling their eyes pinned to me. “What?” I ask, looking over the coffee choices.Hannibal sounds good. I chuckle at the irony.
Serena’s soft voice breaks my concentration. “Are you okay?”
I shrug, not wanting to get into my feelings, nor never having that question asked to me. I rather keep them locked up tight and take it out on my victims. “I’ll be okay.”
They both eye me skeptically, but before Serena can question it, a voluptuous waitress walks up to our table and instantly gains my attention. She’s wearing short, cut up jean shorts, atight, little, black shirt with the shop's logo on it, and her red hair swings back and forth in a high ponytail. Reminding me of the red hair I crave to run my fingers through again.
When our eyes lock, I give her a flirty smile and run my fingers along her arm when I tell her my order. She blushes and gets Aster and Serena’s, her eyes glancing at me the entire time. When she walks away, I cock my head watching her ass sway side to side.Damn.
“You should get her number,” Serena says with a playful smirk on her face.
I reach my hand towards her, getting ready to flirt, but Aster ruins my fun with one word. “Don’t.”
I pull back, crossing my arms. “You’re no fun.”
“He’s just territorial,” Serena says, kissing him on the cheek.
My nose curls as jealousy rages through me.They’re disgustingly cute. You would never know they kill people in their free time. Speaking of…“So, what will you two do now?”
Serena tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and nibbles her lip. “We wanted to ask you something, and you can totally say no.”
“Ask away.” I lean back in my chair, my curiosity peaked.
“We still want to do our thing, but,” she drops her voice to a whisper, “only the bad ones, and we want you to join us. Not in the act itself, unless you want to, but in the computer stuff. Tracking down their actual identity.”
I sit back in my seat, letting the question sit in the air. I definitely want to, but watching Serena move her little butt in her seat as she nervously waits for my answer makes me want to watch her squirm more.
The waitress returns with our orders, interrupting my fun, and I take a sip of the best coffee I’ve ever had before answering. “Yes. I would love to be a part of the team.” I lean forward,obviously checking Serena out.She does look amazing.“Does that mean-”
“Don’t even ask what you’re about to ask or that coffee won’t go in your stomach,” Aster warns as he takes a sip of his drink.
“I don’t mind the smell of coffee.” I wink at Serena, and she just shakes her head.Guess my womanly charm wore off; that’s too bad.“Fine.I’ll behave. For now.”
Aster rolls his eyes and starts eating as Serena surprises me with her next question, “I know you’re interested in the waitress, but do you want to find anyone?”
I spin the straw in my cup, looking back at the cute redhead who can’t seem to take her eyes off me. “No. They’re only good for sexual reasons.”
“You don’t think you’ve found anyone you could see yourself being with?” she asks, taking a bite of her eggs.
I place my hand on my cheek as I look out the window, picturing the smiling faces of the two I long for. I think about them every day, and I fear I’ll never see them again. The boy and girl I grew up with in foster care. My only comfort in that wretched place. My teeth grit.People I can’t seem to find no matter what programs I use.
I look down at my plate, moving food around with the fork, having lost my appetite. “I was in love with two people, a guy and a girl; we were all supposed to escape from the foster care we were in.” I swallow back the tears threatening to spill over at the memory.Don’t cry, Zephira. They wouldn’t want that.“They got out. I got caught. I told them to run, so they did. I haven’t seen them since, despite trying to find them.”
Serena’s hand covers mine in the comforting way she knows that grounds me and I smile at her before I move away shaking my head. One day I will see them again. I feel it in my bones.
“Maybethey’llfind you,” she says.
“Yeah. Maybe.”
The waitress returns with the check and Aster takes care of it, the two of us stepping outside while Serena chats with the owner.
“Are you really okay?” Aster asks, blocking the sun from my view.
“I already told you I will be.”
